The New Forest Cycling Club

Round One to New Forest

NEW Forest Cycling Club won round one of the two-leg interclub contest with Crabwood CC on a misty moisty Tuesday evening which showed the value of riding with rear lights.
Crabwood had a rider fewer than the half-dozen required, probably because their ace veteran Dave England had ridden the A3CRG 25 the previous evening and clocked a cracking 59-43. That meant the club automatically took last place with 12 points.
Having said that, New Forest CC was missing its top testers John Heffernan and Gary Lock, who were both otherwise engaged.
Nevertheless, with strength in depth, The Forest filled the first four places in the 15-miler on the testing Brockenhurst-Beaulieu-Lyndhurst circuit, although visitor Simon Barnes (GA Cycles) won overall with a fast 34-47.
First Forester was Ben Boardman, just three seconds off Barnes’ winning time with 34-50.
Chris Hughes, continuing a spell of sparkling form, which saw a recent PB 10 of 23-12, took second with 36-51, Stuart Ward was third with 37-21 and James Bannister fourth with 37-59.
Pat Lafford was the fastest of the Crabwood quintet with 38-07 in fifth, while the next two places fell to The Forest with Rob Brinsdon and Phil Underwood, who also won the first handicap award, with 38-38 and 39-13 respectively.
Andy Stevens (eighth with 42-21), Claire Newman ( ninth, 42-43), Mike Matthews (10th, 42-54) and John Sanchez-Bisson (11th, 49-56) completed the Crabwood team and amassing 55 points against New Forest’s 23.
New Forest’s latest member juvenile Ryan Seed did well to clock 45-43 in only his second time trial to take third handicap award.
Stuart Peckham was unlucky to puncture at Beaulieu and did not finish.
Other times (all NFCC): Dan Mitchell 39-33 (second handicap), Richard Rajski 39-47, Barry Wootten 39-50, Richard Mason 40-10, Gary Plumb and Nick Williams tied with 40-17, Keith Bradfield 40-52, Konnor Bracher-Walsh 42-33, Pete Hawker 43-34, Geoff Weller 44-14, Phil Jones 44-53, Richard Wills 45-19, Chris Mills 45-22, Aleksandra Burlinson 45-55, Martin Balk 46-27, Bob Jolliffe 46-31, Tom Butler 48-03.

Beale on form

Second claim New Forest member Martin Beale (VC St Raphael) was happy to hit top form in the A3CRG 25 the previous evening, clocking a season’s best 55-02.
Totton’s Stephen Whitewick (Contre la Montre) was quickest in 49-51 from Sotonian teammate Harry Bulstrode (50-13) and Steve Irwin of Kingston Wheelers (50-48).